Putting Public Roads to Bed in Maine
Putting Public Roads to Bed in Maine
Putting Public Roads to Bed in Maine
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<strong>Putt<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Roads</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Bed</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> Ma<strong>in</strong>e<br />
Abandonment vs.<br />
Discont<strong>in</strong>uance Can the laws be<br />
improved?
Aroos<strong>to</strong>ok County Hypo<br />
Monument Road, Town of Amity<br />
0.9 miles from this sign <strong>to</strong> the woodlot<br />
Statu<strong>to</strong>rily abandoned
Monument Road Example<br />
Suppose the follow<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
Pay $75K for 100 ac with public road<br />
frontage<br />
Other, cheaper lots available but poor<br />
access<br />
Intend <strong>to</strong> harvest wood and keep <strong>in</strong> Tree<br />
Growth<br />
Five years later Amity abandons
Monument Road Hypo Cont<strong>in</strong>ued<br />
• Town reta<strong>in</strong>s free public easement<br />
• Ready <strong>to</strong> harvest but road needs $20K<br />
• Unable <strong>to</strong> justify<br />
• Put on market for $55K<br />
• Sell <strong>to</strong> snowmobiler for $45K<br />
• Town saves money but owners out at<br />
least $30K<br />
• Unfair or just <strong>to</strong>o bad for them?
Three Types of <strong>Roads</strong><br />
• 1. Town Way (<strong>to</strong>wn road)<br />
• 2. <strong>Public</strong> Easement<br />
• 3. Private Road
Why abandon?<br />
• Save money – roads are EXPENSIVE
Three ways <strong>to</strong> dispose of roads<br />
• 1. Section 3026 Discont<strong>in</strong>uance<br />
• 2. Common Law Abandonment<br />
• 3. Section 3028 Abandonment
Statu<strong>to</strong>ry Discont<strong>in</strong>uance<br />
• 1. Road is <strong>to</strong>wn way or public easement<br />
• 2. Notice given<br />
• 3. Order filed that specifies<br />
a. Location<br />
b. Names of abutters, and<br />
c. Amount of damages<br />
Important: <strong>Public</strong> easement reta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
Key: Damages may be found and paid!
Common Law Abandonment<br />
• Non-use of public road for 20 years<br />
• No public easement reta<strong>in</strong>ed here!<br />
• Entire fee <strong>in</strong>terest reverts <strong>to</strong> abutters
Statu<strong>to</strong>ry Abandonment<br />
• 30 years of non-ma<strong>in</strong>tenance (not use)<br />
• Refers back <strong>to</strong> Discont<strong>in</strong>uance Statute<br />
concern<strong>in</strong>g public easement retention<br />
• Get ready…<br />
• Subject <strong>to</strong> vote <strong>to</strong> make the way an<br />
easement for recreational use<br />
• MMA <strong>Roads</strong> Manual: never been tested;<br />
be careful; have an at<strong>to</strong>rney
Statu<strong>to</strong>ry Abandonment<br />
Cont’d<br />
• Isolated acts of ma<strong>in</strong>tenance not enough<br />
• Key: no provision for damages <strong>to</strong><br />
abutters
Problems?<br />
• -Three different laws <strong>to</strong> do the same<br />
th<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• - Constitutional issues<br />
• - Tak<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
• - Lucas v. South Carol<strong>in</strong>a Coastal<br />
Council<br />
• - Investment-backed expectations (Penn<br />
Central Transportation Co. v. City of<br />
NY)
These do not matter because:<br />
• Ma<strong>in</strong>e Supreme Judicial Court says so<br />
• Because lack of ma<strong>in</strong>tenance is not a<br />
governmental action, there can be no<br />
tak<strong>in</strong>g (govt is do<strong>in</strong>g noth<strong>in</strong>g rather<br />
than do<strong>in</strong>g some action)<br />
• Do you agree?
Can’t the law still be made more<br />
fair?<br />
• Additional problems:<br />
• Confus<strong>in</strong>g recreational easement<br />
language<br />
• Liability issues<br />
– Ma<strong>in</strong>e Landowner Liability Law<br />
– Road damages<br />
– Environmental violations
Aroos<strong>to</strong>ok County Hypo Aga<strong>in</strong><br />
• Under Common Law Abandonment:<br />
• -Fee simple back <strong>to</strong> abutters<br />
• -No easement retention<br />
• -No damages paid<br />
• -<strong>Public</strong> road has become private<br />
property
Hypo under Discont<strong>in</strong>uance<br />
• Town officials decide <strong>to</strong> discont<strong>in</strong>ue<br />
• Provide notice; file order with clerk<br />
• Officials determ<strong>in</strong>e any damages and<br />
amounts<br />
• If after September 3, 1965 then public<br />
easement reta<strong>in</strong>ed (but damages might<br />
be paid)
Hypo under Abandonment<br />
Statute<br />
• Road presumed abandoned if 30 years of<br />
non-ma<strong>in</strong>tenance by Town<br />
• If no party successfully rebuts the<br />
presumption of abandonment then the<br />
order stands (unless court rules no)<br />
• <strong>Public</strong> easement au<strong>to</strong>matically reta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
• Rema<strong>in</strong>der of property reverts <strong>to</strong><br />
abutters<br />
• Does <strong>to</strong>wn mess with recreational<br />
easement?
Hypo under Statu<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
Abandonment<br />
• Problem: Landowners now have <strong>to</strong> pay<br />
<strong>to</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> what was a <strong>to</strong>wnma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
road at time of purchase<br />
• And <strong>to</strong>wn reta<strong>in</strong>s an easement<br />
• And no damages were paid <strong>to</strong> the<br />
landowners<br />
• Fair or <strong>to</strong>o bad?
Proposed Changes <strong>to</strong> Law<br />
• Possible Solution #1:<br />
• Repeal 3028 and allow 3026 and<br />
common law abandonment <strong>to</strong> operate<br />
• Possible Solution #2:<br />
• Repeal 3026 and 3028 and abrogate<br />
common law abandonment and replace<br />
with a new statute
Quick look at new statute<br />
• Towns have two years <strong>to</strong> designate all<br />
roads<br />
• Landowners have two years <strong>to</strong> rebut the<br />
designations<br />
• Hear<strong>in</strong>gs held <strong>to</strong> settle arguments<br />
• At end of four years, all determ<strong>in</strong>ations<br />
f<strong>in</strong>al<br />
• Use discont<strong>in</strong>uance statute go<strong>in</strong>g<br />
forward
F<strong>in</strong>al look at the hypo:<br />
Under Solution #1<br />
• Discont<strong>in</strong>uance and Common Law<br />
Abandonment still operate<br />
• No Common Law Abandonment here<br />
because no lack <strong>to</strong> use<br />
• No discont<strong>in</strong>uance because Amity never<br />
discont<strong>in</strong>ued<br />
• Road still public<br />
• Amity could choose <strong>to</strong> discont<strong>in</strong>ue<br />
(damages may be paid <strong>to</strong> abutters)
Under a New Statute<br />
• Amity designates the stretch as a public<br />
easement (abandoned)<br />
• Proper notice given<br />
• <strong>Public</strong> hear<strong>in</strong>gs held if needed<br />
• Determ<strong>in</strong>ation then becomes frozen<br />
• Should Amity choose <strong>to</strong> add recreational<br />
easement <strong>in</strong> future, must pay fair<br />
market value
Conclusion<br />
• Is the problem large enough <strong>to</strong> act?<br />
• If so, go with simplicity and Solution #1<br />
• Allow Common Law Abandonment and<br />
Statu<strong>to</strong>ry Discont<strong>in</strong>uance <strong>to</strong> operate and<br />
get rid of Statu<strong>to</strong>ry Abandonment
Thank you for listen<strong>in</strong>g!